Mckenna’s Holiday Recipe: Roasted Chicken

Recipe calls for:

• One 4–5 pound chicken at room temperature, giblets and neck removed from cavity
• 2 onions quartered
• 1 head of garlic cut in half plus 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 lemons 2 cut in half and remaining half sliced into thin slices
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs plus 1 sprig minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup white wine

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Mix the butter with minced rosemary, 3 cloves of minced garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
2. Pat the chicken dry and rub half of the butter, garlic and lemon zest mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Generously season cavity of chicken with salt and pepper and stuff with lemon half, ½ head of garlic, 2-3 quarters of onion and 2 rosemary sprigs. Truss legs with cooking twine and tuck wings under bird.
3. Place chicken in a roasting pan breast-side-up with the remaining onion, garlic, lemons, and herbs. Add ½ cup of white wine.
4. Roast for 30 minutes or until the breast is firm and just beginning to brown in spots. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-down, baste with juices and roast for 20 minutes longer, until the skin is lightly browned. Using tongs, turn the chicken breast-side-up and baste again. Add ½ cup of water if wine has evaporated. Roast for about 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 155°–160° F and juices are running clear.
5. Transfer the bird to a cutting board and tent with foil. Remove aromatics and vegetables from the cavity, carve the chicken and serve.